Vegan Spanakopita

Unfortunately I couldn't find the time to take pass a the annual fairy taken part in the city. Usually I at least go to the marketplace with tons of market stalls. I don't know, just couldn't find the time for it. 

Anyway, I will always  find time to stand in the kitchen and do some cooking. An today I wanted to prepare a dish I wanted to prepare since half a year. 

This dish is pretty similar with its incredients like the hot spinach-artichoke-dip, but this dish does not contains artichokes, just spinach and cheese. 

So, if you are cheese-lover you're definitely going to love this one. 

The making is simple and you don't need a lot of ingredients, most you will find in your kitchen. Only the spinach and filo you may need to buy. 

Now go ahead and enjoy the dish as much as I did!

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Vegan Spanakopita

4 Persons

Ingredients:
Cream-Cheese

150 g cashewnuts, soaked for a while in warm water

60 ml lemon juice

125 ml water

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic

Some onion powder

1¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp dried dill - optional

½ tsp dried oregano - optional

Simply blend all of this together in a blender until really creamy and set aside

Spanakopita

550 g fresh spinach, washed and tough stems removed

about 150 g studel pastry or filo pastry

1 large onion, chopped or 2-3 spring onion

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

freshly ground black pepper

salt

¼ tsp dried dill - optional

½ tsp dried oregano - optional

Preparation:

First you need to wash and reduce the bulk of the spinach.

Now heat up the olive oil in a large frying pan, add the onion and about 20 grinds of black pepper. Add the Spinach, some dill and gently steam until spinach has fallen together about 7 -10 minutes. Set aside in a bowl.

Add the cream made above to the bowl with the spinach and crumble. Stir well till it's all mixed up well.

Set aside now and prepare the pastry. Brush some oil or melted margarine in the tin you are using and preheat the oven to 200 C.

Take one sheet of filo and make sure the rest are covered with a damp cloth so they don't dry out. Brush with  margarine and fit into the tin. Repeat with another sheet and place in the tin. Keep going, till all your four studelpastry is used, brushing each sheet with margarine

Now spoon your filling in evenly and level it off

Now fold over all four edges until it's covered and give it all a final brush of oil and it's ready for the oven:

Bake in a preheated 200 C oven for about 30-40 minutes. After 20 minutes check by sticking a knife in the centre and feeling if it's hot.

Now simply slice into 6 servings! Serve immediately and enjoy.

Vegan Turkey with Golden Gravy

Sorry for those worse pictures. They were taken by my Mobile Phone. I was so exhausted and the pictures taken later on with the camera are somehow deleted - don't know what happened I can't find them anymore. 

Anyway what I present you here is my first Vegan Turkey - and I got to say I'm really proud of myself. 

I can't tell why I haven't made a Turkey before. I made the Turkey for no special occasion or having people  invited - just like that and so I made just two small ones - tasted and eaten - now laying well packed in my freezer, ready for special occasions. (we don't celebrate Thanksgivin). 

I couldn't imagine that it is so easy to prepare one - especially this one. This is definitely not my last one! 

What I made again for my dinner is the Golden Gravy as it compares very well with the Turkey. 

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Vegan Turkey with Golden Gravy

Ingredients:
Water for boiling 
250 g gluten flour
1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1 tsp. thyme
1 tbsp. onion powder
1 tsp. salt
2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp. soy sauce

Cheesecloth
cooking strings
Puff pastry
1 small glas of junky tomatobruschette sauce

Preparation:
In a large pot bring water to a low boil.

In a large bowl wisk together the gluten, nutritional yeast, thyme, onion powder and salt, stir to mix. In a small bowl wisk together the wet ingredients (vegetable broth, oil, soy sauce) and give it to the dry ingredients. With wooden spoon stir until combined. 

Wet the cheesecloth and lay it out on flat surface.

For the filling take the gluten dough (eiter everything or divided in two dought) and flaten with your hands, spread the junky tomatobruschetta sauce over it and roll up by folding the sides in. 
Place gluten loaf on cheesecloth at one end and roll up, continuiely tie'n the sides (not to tight, like a sausage). Tie each end with a piece of string and so with two in the middle.

Place in simmering (maybe salted) water and cook covered for 1 hour. 

Before the cooking time is over, preheat oven up to 310°C.

Take the gluten loaf out of the water, unwrap from the cheesecloth and unwrap the puff pastry on flat wooden surface. Lay loaf on the puff pastry, brush with some mix ketchup-water and fold the puff pastry over the loaf. Brush the top again with a mix of ketchup-water and sprinkle some herbs on top (Unfortunately I forgot to do so..)

Place on baking sheet and bake for about 30 min.

Serve with the Golden Gravy (posted earlier before) and with your favored sides such as vegetables and potatoes. 

Crunchy Salad with Arabian impact

Since being on the vegan boat trip - I love raw food more than I could think of. Well it still depends very much on what kind of raw food I eat. 

But a salad always goes and I couldn't think of a day without a salad - either green or vegetables. 

For today I made a crunchy healthy salad for lunch break. A plate full of vitamines - just right good as I feel like I'm getting a flu with cough and running nose. 

First I was hesitating either to eat it like this or fill it in a Pitabread-bag but I wanted to get the full taste of the salad, served a slice of bread aside. 

Afterward I relaxed on the sofa with good book on hand. 

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Crunchy salad with Arabian impact 

Ingredients: 
300 g carrots 
150 g radishes 
2 pcs apples 
1 handful of raisins 
1 handful of flat parsley
1 handful of mint 
4 tablespoons sherry or red wine vinegar 
8 tablespoons olive oil 
1 tsp tahini 
sea ​​salt 
pepper 
2 tablespoons sesame roasted

Preparation: 
Cut carrots, radishes and apples into thin slices or pull on a grater. 

Mix Raisins, chopped parsley and chopped mint, tahini and toasted sesame seeds and add to the salad. 

For the dressing mix vinegar, oil, sea salt and pepper and pour over the salad and mix. 

Note: 
Serve with fresh white bread.

Filottartelettes with asian vegetable filling

During the weekends I spend more time in the kitchen than else where. During the week simply no time with a full time job and being late at home. 

Well this does not mean that I simple delete the thinking what next I could try / prepare on week ends, but I have to plan well and mostly I want to prepare too much stuff to eat as a single person. 

But today on my free afternoon I just couldn't resist the kitchen, cause I tried something on Sunday and it was more or less a failure and I wanted to retry it - changed a little bit. 

The second result just came out perfect and now ready to post. 

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Filo-Tartelettes with asian vegetable filling

4 Portions
45 min
baking: 20-25 min

Ingredients:

DOUGH 
1 tbsp.  sesame seeds 
50 g vegan margarine 
4 vegan sheets filo or strudel 

FILLING 
200 g of frozen edamame
salt 
200 g shiitake mushrooms 
250 g Mini-Pak Choi 
2 shallots, chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 red chilli, deseedes and finely chopped
2 tbsp oil 
1 bunch of coriander leaves, chopped
150 g silken tofu, crumbled
60 g vegan parmesan (or nutritional yeast or soyflour, to replace 2 eggs)
50 g pickled ginger, drained, chopped
6 Tbsp. saltless soysauce

Preparation:
Preheat over up to 180°C.

In a frying pan roast sesam until golden brown and place on a plate. 
In the same pan melt the vegan margine with the remaining heat. 

On a proper roof place a sheet of dough and spread some melted margarine on it, cover with another sheet of pastry and brush with margarine. Sprinkle with sesam seeds. Cover with another sheet and brush with margarine. Last sheet of dough and finish with margarine. 

Cut the stapled sheets lengthwise and crosswise in half, that 4 squares arises. Press dough in greased ramekins (12 cm diameter) with removable bottom that the dough triangles hang crosswise a little over. 
(If you don't have them, you can also take timbale forms, just butter them well!) 

For the filling provide edamame in boiling salted water and cook for 6 min., rinse and drain. Remove the seeds from the pods. Cut the stems of the shiitake mushrooms, cut the caps into 1 cm wide strips. 
Wash well the Pak Choi. Cut the green from the stems then cut the green crosswise into 2 cm wide strips, cut stems into 1 cm wide strips. 

Heat oil in a pan fry mushrooms until golden brown over high heat for 3 minutes. Add the pak choi stalks and fry for another 2 minutes. Add shallots, garlic and chilli and fry over medium heat for another 2 minutes. Add the pak choi leaves and let the coincide. Give in the edamame and season with salt, then turn off the heat. 

Place the chopped coriander in a mixing bowl and add the crumbled tofu and the parmesan and puree well, lightly add some salt. 

Distribute the vegetable filling into the tartlets and pour over the tofu-mixed-liquid. Put the tartlets in the preheated oven on the bottom rack and bake golden bown for about 20 - 25 minutes. 

Serve the tartlets with drained, chopped pickled ginger and soy sauce (separate). 

Golden Gravy

I'm in Love! Unbelievable but I haven't prepared a gravy for roasts or loafs before...... I really missed something during the years!!!!

But today I did change it and probably made the best ever gravy! The tastes immediately thrown be back to my childhood life. 

Well, I prepared sauces before.... and for you it may be something daily. Anyway I just have to post it. 

One good thing about the gravy - it is pretty fast and easy done. Good to be prepared ahead. 

Of course the gravy needed something to come with - thought I probably could eat it just like that. And what compares best with this gravy - of course a vegan loaf. (Still waiting to be prepared). 

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Vegan Golden Gravy

Serves 6

Ingredients:
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp. dried)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage (or 1 tsp. dried)
3 cups water
1/4 cup tamari 
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Direction:

Stir the nutritional year and flour in a heavy skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until fragrant but not burns down. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and saute for 10 minutes or until tender and beginning to lightly turn brown.

Add the garlic, thyme and sage and roast for 30 seconds or until fragrant.

Whisk in the flour mixture thoroughly and then whisk in the water, tamari, salt and pepper.

Bring everything to a simmer, whisking frequently and continue to simmer until the Gravy is thick and creamy. (You can strain the gravy if you like or toss it in the blender to get is smooth. Myself I haven't done it)

The gravy will keep for 2 - 3 days, covered and refrigerated.

Bangkok Noodles

Since having my new vegetable noodle maker I'm really into preparing a lot of spiralized with it. I'm so happy about it. Before I just had a small handholder slicer and it was always so much work to get the vegetables sliced and there was always so much vegetable left I couldn't turn into noodles - really upsetting.. 

But this time is over. Lucky me!

For my todays lunch I turned back to my hand grater and own working hand to prepare the dish. I just thought that spiralized wouldn't look great or overloaded. 

If you're missing some carbohydrates in this dish, either serve some slices of whole grain bread or mix the vegetables with some asian noodles or glasnoodles. 

I kept them itself, getting the full vegetable power on foggy cool day. 

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Bangkok Noodles

(4 servings)

Ingredients:
noodles:
400 g Zucchini
140 g carrots
120 g red chabbage
100g snow peas
60 g bean sprouts
2 spring onions
2 tbsp parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped almonds,
To garnish 1 chili

sauce:
50 g almond paste
70 g of water
120 g of lime juice
60 g Tamari
60 g of sesame oil
20 g maple syrup
2 cm ginger
4 cloves of garlic
Salt & pepper

Direction:
Cut zucchini, carrots, red chabbage, snow peas and spring onions into fine strips.
You may have to drain the strips in a colander. 

For the sauce - in a bowl mix all ingredients together, set aside. 
Lightly steam the vegetable in little oil till lightly soft but still crunchy, turn of heat and let lightly cool down. 

When lightly cooled down mix the vegetables with sauce, arrange on plates and garnish with chopped almonds and chili on top. 

Damn good crunchy Edamameflutes

Finaly I got time to post. Too much going on. 

Prehead I have to say, that I really do love Edamame as a snack sprinkled with the asian togarashi salt as I eat the most of the time. 

Knowing that they can be eaten warm as well, I made a little bit of thinking how to prepare them. (In fact since a long time lays a frozen 1 kg pack Edamame in the frigde and I want to clean the fridge - eating it up) and so this Dish happend. 

A great dish I have to say, unpossible to not like it. Perfect as a side with a salad, or as a appetizer as well as a main dish served with Thai Rice. 

You can use fresh or frozen Edamame, but if you use frozen ones I would recommed to unfroze them over night. But If you don't want to wait you can use the unfrozen ones as well of course. The result - I guess will be the same. 

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Damn good crunchy Edamameflutes/ rolls

Appetizer for 4 Persons 

makes 12 rolls

Ingredients:

about 800 g frozen Edamame (pulled about 400g)

Almond-nutrional yeast-glaze instead of cheese   (recipe below) 

salt and pepper (additional spicy if wanted)

1 pack (120 g) filopastry (can't find any translated word in the web for "strudel"). 

3 Tbsp. Oil

1 Tbsp. sesam seeds

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Almond-Nutritionalyeast-sauce (cold stirred)

6 Tbsp. Almondmus

200 ml Soymilk

3 tsp. vegetable broth powder

6 Tbsp. nutritional yeast

pinches of sweet pepperpowder, curcuma and pepper

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients to a thick sauce

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Dipping-Sauce:

1 Lime

4 Tbsp. Soysauce, Tamari etc.

1 Tbsp. Mirin

Agavenectar for end-tasting (I added about 1 Tbsp.)

Preparation:

Defroze Edamame over night (you can use frozen ones as well, if you don't wanna way)

and cock for about 5-6 min in boiling water. Drain and drain with cold water. Pull (press) out the beans. Coarsely chop either shortly with your blender or by hand. Stir under Almondmus and season with spices. 

Preheat oven up to 220°C, Unfold the filo and oil between the two lays, cut each part of filohalfs into six rectangels. 

On the smaller side down give about 2 Tbsp. of edamamemus and carefully roll up. Lay on baking sheet, brush with remaining oil, sprinkle with sesamseeds and bake in the middle of the oven for about 15 min. 

Meanwhile prepare the sauce for dipping:

Finely rub limepeel and Squeeze lime juice and mix with soy sauce, mirin. Season with agavenectar.